Notes and Editorial Reviews
COUNTERPOINT PREMIERES
•
Robert De Cormier, cond; Louise De Cormier (nar);
1
D. Thomas Toner (perc);
1
John Muratore (gtr);
2
Counterpoint
•
ALBANY TROY 1088 (63:53
Text and Translation)
BERNSTEIN
The Lark:
Choruses.
1
Read more
class="COMPOSER12">MOYSE
Solfège à la française.
LEVI
Bye, Bye, Toots.
2
CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO
Romancero gitano
2
Counterpoint is a small vocal ensemble founded in 2000 by its musical director De Cormier. It specializes in “rarely performed works, unique arrangements, and the work of contemporary composers.” In this concert, which conforms to those ideals, it employs up to 13 voices. The singing is basically
a cappella
, although some light percussion and bells decorate the Bernstein, as does a guitar in the Levi and Castelnuovo-Tedesco
Leonard Bernstein wrote eight brief choruses for Lillian Hellmann’s 1955 Broadway adaptation of Jean Anouilh’s play
The Lark
, which tells the story of Joan of Arc’s trial. Bernstein set texts from the Latin Mass and from French songs of Joan’s era, and his musical settings—for seven women’s voices—range across the centuries. His very personal harmonies shine through a translucent curtain of ancient styles (imagine
West Side Story
in Verona, in Shakespeare’s day). These are lovely pieces, rarely heard because of their medium and their brevity. The first recording was for performances of the play, and there have been few since; this presentation claims originality by interspersing them with some of Joan’s speeches from the play (beautifully and simply read by Louise De Cormier), which works well, offering both context and contrast for the music, extending its scant 12.5 minutes to 17.5. If you prefer to hear the choruses without the speech, there is a recording by Harry Christophers and The Sixteen on the Coro label [
Fanfare
29:1]. It includes choruses by Barber, Copland, Del Tredici, Irving Fine, and Reich (
Clapping Music
!), but it is twice the price of this disc.
The late Louis Moyse, the great flutist and one of the founders of the Marlboro School, composed
Solfège à la française
in 2002. It is a muted, graceful Baroque suite in five sections: Intrada, Sarabande, Menuet, Sicilienne, and Gigue, sung in French. Paul Alan Levi’s
Bye, Bye, Toots
was written as a memorial for poet Burt Chernow, to two of his poems and two by his wife Ann, also a poet. Words and music are filled with humor; the title comes from a meeting with extraterrestrials who carry Burt off to the moon. Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s songs to nine poems of Federico Garcia-Lorca have a gentle Andalusian flavor but are disappointing in their lack of intensity—the poet’s name conjures memories of Golijov’s haunting
Ainadamar
. A grittier, gutsier performance might help.
Texts and English translations are included in the booklet. This disc is filled with a lazy, hazy charm, above which Bernstein’s choruses soar. They are reason enough for an urgent recommendation.
FANFARE: James H. North
Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
The Lark: Choruses by Leonard Bernstein
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Counterpoint Instrumental Ensemble,
Robert DeCormier
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1955; USA
2.
Solfège à la français by Louis Moyse
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Counterpoint Instrumental Ensemble,
Robert DeCormier
Written: 2002; France
3.
Bye bye Toots by Paul Alan Levi
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Counterpoint Instrumental Ensemble,
Robert DeCormier
Period: 20th Century
4.
Romancero Gitano, Op. 152 by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Counterpoint Instrumental Ensemble,
Robert DeCormier
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1951
Sound Samples
The Lark: Prelude: Exaudi orationen meam, Domine
The Lark: Spring Song: Revecy venir le printemps
The Lark: Court Song: Fi, maris, de vostre amour
The Lark: Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini
The Lark: Soldier's Song: Vive la Jeanne, la joliem jolie Jeanne!
The Lark: Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, Domine
The Lark: Requiem aetername dona eis Domine
The Lark: Gloria in excelsis Deo
Solfege a la francaise: I. Intrada: Allegro giocoso
Solfege a la francaise: II. Sarabande
Solfege a la francaise: III. Menuet
Solfege a la francaise: IV. Sicilienne
Solfege a la francaise: V. Gigue
Bye, Bye Toots: No. 1. Tallyho
Bye, Bye Toots: No. 2. Unpoem
Bye, Bye Toots: No. 4. Muir Woods Cantata
Romancero Gitano, Op. 152: I. Baladilla de los Tres Rios
Romancero Gitano, Op. 152: II. La Guitarra
Romancero Gitano, Op. 152: III. Punal
Romancero Gitano, Op. 152: IV. Procesion
Romancero Gitano, Op. 152: V. Memento
Romancero Gitano, Op. 152: VI. Baile
Romancero Gitano, Op. 152: VII. Crotalo
Customer Reviews
Be the first to review this title
Review This Title
